hey first of all im glad you are safe and saw the rockets game live, but why did you say your city its like mexico? have you visited or something? Im from mexico city, so I want to know the similarities.
You know everything comes back to the Americans. Even though, as you put it the protests are against the local government. Most disputes in the world have American money flowing through it in one way or another. Just because you're the most powerful country in the world doesn't mean you should exercise that power. You have an obligation to support and accept how other people in this world do things which are different than you. I guess in a few years, all that money will run dry as the American government has barely enough to pay for its own Medicare. (Unless of course you're willing to screw your own people over, everyone for themselves in Capitalism right?)
btw, stay safe bro. We're all sheep in this world, there's no use staying in the midst of someone else's troubles.
Reading your confidence makes me smile. I love it. I hope you stay safe but man its awesome to see someone post the way you do in adversity. My parents were in Hyderabad India when the city was burning from riots 40 years ago and they just tell me tales of despair so to see you talk the way you do makes me happy. I'm glad there are people who think the way you do. Keep it up. Also Clutchfans is ****ing awesome, no other forum has threads like this.
Davidkconover, I sincerely hope you and your family stay safe, and how about that jazz crushing I said I hoped you would get?! Hope you got to enjoy that. Again stay safe good luck
Be safe buddy. It would be cool if you have a blog sharing about your life there in an exotic country.
thanks DD. we are holded up a bit further from the city center but still close enough to hear the fighting/looting/etc that is going on. we are staying with some us embassy friends at their apartment and we are all taking turns manning the 'panic button' which will call in troops if an embassy apartment gets attacked. troops is a bit of a loose term as the embassy here only has four marines - typically this is a very safe post. that is why all of this revolution has caught us with our pants down around our ankles. information is hard to come by. or i should say that reliable information is hard to come by. our landlady's cousin is a major opposition leader and word is that she is going to be named the provisional president of the new government. such a small country... only 5 million people it seems like everyone knows someone. the problem with that is that we don't know what to believe. word currently is that tonight is going to be even worse than last night. no violence against the government but wide spread looting. calls have gone out on the radio and tv all day asking for volunteers to come and protect the remaining non-looted stores and government buildings. so this could lead to more fighting. also - the disposed president is in the south of the country supposedly arming his supporters and marching to bishkek. mind you it is a 10 day march on foot over three mountain passes! got to love central asia. did i mention how much i love the kevin martin trade!
David gets rep points as a Rockets fan watching a game under rockets' red glare, bombs bursting in air. I won't complain about running out of popcorn or chips during a game ever again.
David, I hope you stay safe. You are in our thoughts and prayers. I am glad the rockets were able to keep you happy last night!
Davidkconover; I really respect how much of a Rockets fan you are but like the other posters said you gotta keep yourself safe. I have a Kyrgyz friend so I know a little bit about the place and from what I understand it has been pretty poor, like many of the other Central Asian Soviet republics was exploited by the Soviets and the people looked down upon by the Russians. Since independence it has suffered from corruption, poverty and instability in the post Soviet era. It sounds like something like this has been building for years and there is no telling how this situation plays out. I don't think this will become anti-American but at the sametime when the bullets and stones are flying people might not be careful who they are aiming at.
still getting mixed news on what is going on here (it is night now). police stations being stormed (people trying to get guns) and the major department store tsum supposedly is being looted right now. my friend nelson and i helped another friend make it into the apartment compound where my family is now staying. once we went outside (to let him in the gate with his car) we found was being guarded by seven guys with guns... and vodka. our friends had to drive around block a couple of times due to crowds in the streets. tense moments. still hearing random gun fire and getting reports of 'rich' homes being looted and people being murdered. everything is hearsay at this point. we are hunkered down and safe... although it doesn't feel safe because of the uncertainty. safety in numbers. thanks for the encouraging words. we are staying safe. inside. in the dark. and unlike all the people on the street... very, very sober.
last night was a mostly quiet night. the 'good' guys have taken control of the streets and looting was minimal compared to the night before. friends and family are emailing/facebooking us to evacuate. it isn't that easy. we can't just run to the embassy because unless they have ordered a full evacuation for ALL americans - they won't take anyone in. we can't go to the military base without the order for a full evacuation. so even thought embassy personnel are being evacuated today - that is not an option for us. we have been told our best bet is to get into kazakhstan but we have to get a visa first (we might have an in with the ambassador there as his son goes to our school). it normally takes a week to get a visa but we have been told we could get it in one day. but the bigger problem is trying to cross the border. it will be crazy. kyrgyzs are not being allowed into kazakhstan but we hear they are packed at the border trying to get through anyway. so we don't even know if we could get our cars through the border. do we have to ditch them and then walk across because the roads are blocked? then once across we have to travel 3 more hours to almaty where we think we would stay with teachers from our sister international school there. another option is flying out... if the airport is open and if we can get a flight. we are on the move and will try to keep you updated. but loving the end of season recognition the rox are getting!
The internet is so cool. First I got to watch a sweet g*ngbang, now I get to read first hand about political revolution and civil war. What's next? Probably some more g*ngbang, but I haven't really decided yet. Stay safe!
we are officially home alone. although we are hanging out at the apartment of some embassy friends... they are gone. the embassy is in the process of evacuating all it's staff to the base. american citizens have been told to fend for themselves at this point. nice. the worry is that in the next couple of days when the supporters of the ex prez get their act together they will motor pool (yes... motor pool) from the south to bishkek. not army types. worse. thugs with guns. that is when the really problems are going to start. people fighting people in the streets with no way to really tell who is on who's side. things are calm and quiet today. people are cleaning up from the looting but there are no shops, no banks, no stores open. just some folks selling bread and fruit on street corners. a lot of traffic police out and about but that is the only sign of government. the word i am hearing from local friends is that all that was planned was a protest. not a revolution. but a protest. police got nervous. someone fired a shot and full fledged fighting broke out. all of the opposition leaders where either locked up already or in hiding so no one was expecting an overthrow to happen and no one was ready to step into the power void. the police and militia for the most part here aren't armed so they had no way to really stop people. by the time they armed themselves... it was too late to stop the craziness. opposition people start holding press conferences saying they are in charge but are they really? all the violence and looting that has happened since then is a result of the typical mob mentality that takes place when stuff like this happens. not politically or religiously motivated. the anti-american sentiment that is being spewed by both sides at this point is just rhetoric. the people and the region tend to be pro whoever gives money... and we have a policy of giving alot of money to the country because of our military base here. as far as us... we are hanging low until 300pm or so when we are suppose to have our visas for kazhakstan. we are going to motor pool (that word again) with some other americans and try to cross the border and get to almaty where we have some warm beds and running water waiting for us. a bit stressed about the border crossing as we hear that it is crazy there right now. they are not letting krygzs cross over - just third country nationals like us. so it could get ugly and we might have to bail on our car (which would be painful) and walk across and then catch a ride with the other folks on the other side. the last note on this long post... bishkek is a really great place and it is really a great country. what has happened this past three days is not indicative of what a chill, safe, family friendly country kyrgyzstan has been up to this point. sigh.
Wow I really hope that you, your family and your friends make it across the border safely. All our prayers are with you. Hope to hear from you soon, and hopefully from a much more safer and friendlier place. Goodluck buddy!
omg this thread... David, you all be careful, and keep us in the loop. I know not everyone prays, but I do, and I'll be thinking of you all when I do! good luck!
